Gun for shooting marbles.



No. 729,444. 4 PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

, s. H. STRASSER. GUN FOR SHOOTING MARBLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1903.

NO MODEL.

' UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

, PATENT ()EEIcE.

SYLVESTER H. STRASSER, COLUMBUS, OHIO.

I GUN FOR SHOOTING MARBLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 729,444, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed February 11, 1903. Serial No. 142,957. (No model-l T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it kn own that LSYLVESTER H. SrRAssER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Marble-Guns, of which the sheet metal, at the same time adapting such barrel to receive and Withstand the impact, of the head of the plunger which throws the marble. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide the plunger with a combined restraining pin or catch and trigger ortripping device, which may be engaged at any one of a number of points with the barrel for the purpose of stretching the actuating-spring and imparting to the plunger when released the de sired speed or rapidity of movement for shooting or throwing the marble a desired distance or with the necessary force.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed. J

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the marble-gun constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the plunger drawn back the distance of one tooth. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same, showing the plunger partly in elevation; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sheet-metal blank from which the barrel is formed.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all figuresof the drawings.

The marble-gun contemplated in' this invention comprises, essentially, a barrel 1, a plunger 2, and a plunger-throwing spring 3, the parts being so combined and arranged that when a marble is placed in the barrel and the plunger released said plunger will act with the desired force to throw or eject the marble from the barrel. The barrel is formed from a substantially rectangular sheet-metal blank 4, (illustrated in plan view in Fig.

3,) the said blank being cut away to form a slot 5, which extends a greater portion of the length thereof, and is notched or provided along one side with a series of teeth or shoulders .6, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Near one end the blank is punched at opposite sides of the slot5to provide tangs 7, which are subsequently turned outward and recurved, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to form spring-holding hooks. The blank is .rolled or bent in cylindrical form and the edges thereof suitably united to form the cylindrical barrel 1, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) while the rear or breech of the barrel is rolled to form an impact-bead 8, against which the head of the plunger strikes in ejecting a marble.

The plunger 2 works within the barrel 1 and is made sufliciently smaller than the barrekto work freely. At the rear end the plunger is provided with an enlarged head 9, and the latter is provided along its outer surface with a diametrically-extending spring-seat 10, while the head is notched at opposite points 11 to form continuations of the seat 10, the seat as a whole being adapted to receive the plunger-actuating spring 3, which preferably consists of an elastic or rubber band, the opposite ends of which are connected with the hooks 7, hereinabovedescribed.

At or near the muzzle end of the plunger 2 the latter is provided with a combined restraining catch or pin and trigger or trip, the same being shown in form of a pin driven into the plunger, which for the sake of economy is preferably composed of wood.

.In operation the plunger-head is grasped,

by turning the head 9 and letting the same go or by pressing the combined catch and trigger 13 toward the straight side of the slot 5. As soon as the catch passes out of engagement with any tooth the spring actuates the plunger, and the latter ejects the marble.

The marble-gun hereinabove described is simple and cheap in construction and reliable in operation. It may be manufactured in various sizes and lengths, adapting it to be used in any of the various games of marbles. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A marble-gun comprising a barrel formed with a longitudinal slot having teeth or shoulders at one side and tangs or books at opposite sides of the slot, a headed plunger working in the barrel, a spring connecting the 15 plunger and barrel, and a combined restraining catch and trigger carried by the plunger, working in the slot of the barrel and adapted to engage the teeth or shoulders thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature :0

in presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER H. STRASSER.

Witnesses:

HAROLD B. GATOH, FRANK A. KREBS. 

